Category: 2020 Season

2 more nests today!

Nest 61 had a 33” crawl.  Nest 62 was laid and 87 eggs were moved back to the dune.  37” crawl

The winds are blowing, the tide is rising and the moon is full.  Not a good combination for our nests.

Inventory results:

Nest 1- 103 shells, 10 unhatched, 1 pipped And 1 live hatchling

Nest 2- 97 shells, 11 unhatched, 2 pipped, 7 dead and 5 live hatchlings

Nest 3- 104 shells, 11 unhatched, 26 pipped, 17 dead and 12 live hatchlings

No new nests or crawls.

Nest 6 hatched around 1:15 with 107 hatchlings

Inventory results:

Nest 4: 101 shells, 9 unhatched eggs, 1 dead hatchling and 4 live hatchlings

Nest 7: 126 shells, 9 unhatched eggs and 22 live hatchling

No new nests or crawls.

Nests 1,2,3,4 and 7 all had a turtle/s emerge during the night.  2 dead hatchlings at nest 3.

We are greened up to nest 12.

Nest #60!  She was just finishing up when morning patrol got there.  The nest was laid and 104 eggs were relocated to a safer location.  Her crawl was 33”

The BIGGEST news of the day is that nests 1 and 2 both hatched.  Nest 1 was during the night.  Nest 2 had 67 hatchlings between 10:00 and midnight and then more during the night.  72 days for #1 and 69 days for #2.

Nest 3 had several more come out during the night.

Nest 4 had lots more during the night and 1 dead hatchling in the runway this morning.

Nest 5 had 5 more

Nest 7 had 48 come out around 9:30 then a few more during the night

Nest 5 inventory results:  110 egg shells, 29 unhatched, 5 dead, 7 pipped and 6 live hatchlings

1 nest, 3 false crawls

Nest 59 had a 29” crawl and 110 eggs.  She was spotted on the beach last night and actually dug a hole but moved to another spot and nested.  It was still too close to the escarpment to leave in place.

The 3 false crawls were 32” at east point, 28” west of the point and 29” east of 629

Hatching:

Nest 3 had 31 hatchlings in the evening and 7-8 more during the night

Nest 4 had several more during the night

Nest 5 had 9 more for the evening

Nest 7 had 1 waving for a couple of hours and ended up watching 11, then 7-8 more during the night

No, nests 1 & 2 haven’t done anything yet!  Yes, they are on day 71 & 68.  Yes, we have been there EVERY night.

3 (62 days), 4 (60 days), 5 (60days), 7 (60 days)

Nest #58 had a 32” crawl.

Nest #5 had 22 more hatchlings emerge over the evening last night and there were a few more tracks in the runway this morning.

Nest #3 had a crab hole and hatchling in the runway that was pulled out by the crab.  We saw him safely to the water.

Nest 57 today!  She knows nothing about social distancing.  She crashed the stakes around nest 23 and laid her nest right next to it. She had a 33” crawl.

Nest #4 and nest #5 both had hatchlings emerge last night.  59 from #5 and 18 from #4 and both nest took their time to come out.

2 false crawls between 601 and 429 walkways, 30” and 32”.

Still no hatchlings.

2 false crawls and nest #56 today

Nest 56 had a 28” crawl

False crawls were 30” west of the lighthouse and 32” east of Tom Hess

Nest #55 had a 36” crawl.

Holden Beach is still the only nest to hatch so far.  I texted with Matthew this morning asking about the earlier nests and his response was that everything is delayed due to the cold snap in May/June.  SC and GA are also delayed.  Our nest 1 is at 66 days now.